


Five Times The Team Was There For Each Other

by Theconsultingdreamer



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Exhaustion, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, five times fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-05
Updated: 2013-06-12
Packaged: 2017-12-14 00:55:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/830836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theconsultingdreamer/pseuds/Theconsultingdreamer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times the team helped each other out</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Exhaustion

**Author's Note:**

> I will add more tags and characters as this progresses, any pairings will be noted in the beginning of the chapter. Do enjoy

It was late. No, that was an understatement. The sun had set an hour ago, and Hotch was still sitting at his desk, staring at the file in front of him. This case hadn’t been anything too graphic or trying on the team, or him for that matter. He just didn’t want to go home. Sometimes he preferred when they were away on a case, because it meant waking up to someone there, whether in the room or not. It was so much better than waking up to an empty house.   
Lately, he’d been seriously considering sleeping in the office. He hadn’t been sleeping well, the house was far too quiet and still for his liking. Exhaustion was sitting in, and he knew that if he stayed here much longer, moving wouldn’t be an option, and he’d be passed out on his desk. He sighed, running his hands through his short hair.   
A voice from the doorway startled him. “I figured I’d find you here.”  
Hotch flinched, swearing under his breath before looking up to find Rossi leaning against the door frame. “You’ll kill your neck sleeping on the desk.”  
Hotch dropped his gaze back to the desk. “It feels like I already did.” He muttered.  
Rossi walked around so he was behind the worn out agent. The first touch of hands on his neck caused him to tense up. People touching him wasn’t usually a huge issue, but his defenses were down. “Relax,” Rossi soothed, massaging his thumbs into the knots in Hotch’s neck and shoulders.  
Hotch could feel the tension draining from his muscles, making him all the more liable to face plant onto his desk. When Rossi has worked through the last major knot, Hotch sighed. “Thank you.”  
“No problem. Come on, I’ll drive you home.”  
Hotch hesitated as he stood up. It was only for a second, but Rossi caught it. “On second thought, I don’t trust you to get to your bed in this state. My guest room is made up, and I live closer.”  
Hotch let out a sigh of relief; he was grateful to Rossi for how he played it off. It was beyond obvious that he didn’t want to be alone, but he would never admit it. God knows he couldn’t hide it though; he worked in an office of profilers. Not much got past them when one of their own was dealing with something, private or not.  
Both men were quiet as they made their way to the elevators. Rossi caught Hotch’s arm as he stumbled on the way out, but said nothing. He saw no need to bruise Hotch’s ego more than it already was.  
The entire car ride home, Hotch struggled to stay awake, but the quiet purring of the engine and the passing lights seemed determined to lull him into a slumber. Every now and then, Rossi glanced over at him to make sure he was doing alright, and smiled to himself as he watched the younger agents head droop forward before he snapped himself awake.  
By the time they pulled into the driveway, Hotch was operating on autopilot. He stumbled into the house behind Rossi, go bag slung over his shoulder. Rossi led him to the guest room. “Bathrooms just down the hall, second door on the left.”  
“Thank you. For everything.” Hotch mumbled, swaying on his feet. Rossi chuckled quietly and clapped him lightly on the shoulder. “Go get some sleep before you hit the floor.”  
Hotch nodded and stumbled into the bedroom. He stripped off his suit and shoes, and in a rare moment of uncharacteristic action, left it crumpled on the floor. He pulled the covers over him and was out almost before he hit the pillow.  
Five minutes later, Rossi opened the door ever so slightly. He glanced in and smiled when he saw Hotch sprawled out on the bed, breathing deeply. “Sleep tight,” he said quietly before shutting the door and retiring to his room for the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgan and Reid, no slash

The sound of a strangled cry jerked Morgan out of his dream. He sat up quickly, rubbing his eyes. In the pale moonlight shining through the hotel window, he could see Reid shaking so hard the bed was moving. He flinched and let out another cry. In an instant, Morgan was on his feet and leaning over the trembling agent. “Reid, man, wake up.”  
He laid a hand on Reid’s shoulder to pull him from the dream. Reid jerked back, eyes flying open. He scrambled away from Morgan, breathing heavily, still somewhat trapped in his dream. “No, no, no, please…”  
Morgan kneeled on the edge of the bed, giving him some space. He didn’t want to panic Reid further. “Pretty boy, it’s me.”  
At the sound of the nickname, Reid blinked. “D-derek?”  
“Yeah, it’s me.”  
Reid let his breath out in a rush and dropped his head onto his arms. He curled into himself, still shaking. Morgan moved a bit closer. “Hey, it was just a dream.”  
Reaching out tentatively, he laid a hand on the younger mans back. Well aware that Reid wasn’t a very physical person, he wasn’t sure of the reaction. Reid flinched, but leaned into the touch.   
“You’re alright, Reid.”  
Reid mumbled something into his arms. “Hmm?”  
Lifting his head ever so slightly, Reid mumbled, “It was just a dream. I shouldn’t be reacting this badly.” Morgan could hear the embarrassment in his tone, could see the pink tint to his cheeks. “We all have nightmares. We’ve talked about this, remember?”  
Reid dropped his head back into his hands. He said something quietly, all that Morgan caught was “wake up someone else…”  
“Pretty boy, listen to me. You aren’t the first person to wake up a roommate with nightmares. I’ve woken Hotch up before, yelling in my sleep. It happens, no one is going to hold it against you.”  
Reid lifted his head up again. “Really?”  
Morgan nodded. “Really.”  
Reid sighed, pushing his slightly sweaty bangs out of his face. “We should probably try and get some more sleep.”  
“You sure? I don’t mind staying up a bit longer.”  
Reid shook his head. “I’m fine.”  
Morgan eyed him carefully before standing back up. “Alright. I’m right across the room if you need me.”  
“Okay.” Reid had sunk down beneath the blankets again, barely visible. Morgan padded across the room to his bed, and stretched out again. He listened to the sound of his friends breathing, waiting until it had evened out before he closed his eyes and drifted back into unconsciousness.


End file.
